Boy! What a Girl! (1947) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The movie takes place primarily in the theatrical world of show business, centered around a fundraising party where Jim Walton attempts to secure funding for his musical revue. The settings include production offices, a grand mansion where the investor event occurs, and performance venues showcasing the musical acts.

• setting
• location
• theatre
• show business
• fundraiser venue

The film is set in 1947, reflecting the post-World War II era when big band jazz and musical revues were popular entertainment. The contemporary setting allows the story to engage with the real-world music scene of the time featuring performers like Gene Krupa and Slam Stewart.

• 1940s
• era
• time period
• post-war
• jazz age

Disguise is the central theme driving the narrative. Bumpsie masquerades as a glamorous society matron to help secure funding, while Madame Deborah Martin pretends to be Mrs. Martin. These deceptions create romantic complications and test the characters' loyalty, with the eventual unmasking redefining relationships.

• disguise
• cross-dressing
• deception
• masquerade
• impersonation

Ambition propels Jim Walton to mount a show that could make or break his career as a theatrical producer. The plot revolves around securing funding from two financiers, with the fundraising party becoming a crucible where talent meets money. Persistence and clever maneuvering ultimately lead to success.

• ambition
• success
• show business
• career
• perseverance

Bumpsie is a comic performer portrayed by Tim Moore who disguises himself as a woman to remain in the show. His impersonation of a wealthy society matron is central to the scheme to trick investor Mr. Cummings into funding the revue, driving much of the film's comedy through romantic misunderstandings.

• Bumpsie
• Tim Moore
• cross-dresser
• comic performer
• impersonator

Jim Walton is an aspiring theatrical producer determined to mount a successful musical revue featuring Slam Stewart and a comic impersonator. His motivation is professional ambition, he navigates financial obstacles and romantic complications to realize his dream of a successful show.

• Jim Walton
• producer
• ambition
• theatrical producer
• show producer

Madame Deborah Martin is a Parisian impresario played by Sybil Lewis who arrives early and pretends to be Mrs. Martin, catalyzing the financial and romantic complications. Her true identity adds intrigue to the plot and eventually helps resolve the misunderstandings surrounding the fundraising scheme.

• Madame Deborah Martin
• Sybil Lewis
• impresario
• identity
• deception

The film features authentic jam sessions with legendary jazz performers including drummer Gene Krupa, pianist and bandleader Big Sid Catlett, bassist Slam Stewart with his trio, and the tap dancing group International Jitterbugs. These real-life musicians provide the musical backbone of the production.

• Gene Krupa
• Big Sid Catlett
• Slam Stewart
• International Jitterbugs
• jazz musicians

Cristola Cummings (Betti Mays) is Jim Walton's girlfriend and heir to wealth through her father Mr. Cummings. She supports Jim's professional ambitions but becomes entangled in the complications created by the disguises and the quest for funding, adding romantic stakes to the plot.

• Cristola Cummings
• Betti Mays
• girlfriend
• heir
• romantic interest

Mr. Cummings is a wealthy father who agrees to fund half of Jim's show, wielding financial power and influence. He becomes impressed by the theatrical spectacle at the fundraising party and is driven by pride for his daughter's future, making him central to the financial conflict.

• Mr. Cummings
• Alan Jackson
• wealthy father
• investor
• financier